So…. My loyal friend, The Moon was off duty and came back to me today after a hiatus two days long. Should I blame you, the beautiful ladies for shanghaiing my loyal friend for your BENEFICE? Yes! For your service, at your service. And that’s what the men in your lives become on a Karwa Chauth day. One of your priceless ASSETS!
He remained loyal to me until last night. Then, many of you enticed him, flourishing your fatal charms and opulent finery. He mistook your beautiful demeanours shown for himself and slipped into your courtyards leaving me bare-skied.
Yes! I am talking about the Moon on your Karwa Chauth night when many of you kept fast for the man of your life all bedecked in gold to entice the silver orb of my sky.
Needless to say, I am the biggest Selenophile you might have met with. One, who has spent numerous sleepless nights talking to him, written hundreds of inquisitive and intrusive poems on him, learnt many classical compositions, and folklores and sung nearly all old Bollywood songs praising his elusive beauty.
Those nights were worth sleep deprivation. Indeed productive, as he never left me bare-handed. I was completely drenched in his halo. He blessed me with art like the Titan goddess, Selene.
However, I have never prayed for him, nor kept fasts for my husband. Yes! I was forced to keep those by my utterly religious mom years ago, but not anymore. Now she has accepted my scepticism and atheism. Or, should I say must be tired of her obstinate daughter by now and has stopped trying to change her religiosity?
Naah! Not because of the “Pseudo Feminism” people think I believe in! My reasons are quite humane, quite logical, and quite equalized. Why only us, the women? Why are men created like this? Why do they God-ify themselves? Why can’t they be happy when they are allowed to be self-proclaimed “Demigods”? Why do they need to be worshipped like silly idols? Well, I seriously think these rituals make the Man-Woman relationship like that of ‘Predators’ Prey’. Don’t they look like scapegoats all bedecked either to be altered or to be freed? And, don’t the women look like baits all donned and jewelled in their finery to ensnare love and attention?
Well, I don’t consider the Moon to be worshipped in commemorating marital bliss. Wasn’t he the accomplice of King god Indra in distracting sage Gautama when he was seducing his wife Ahilya? Our celestially blemished and maligned friend, the Moon can only be an artist’s muse, and can’t be an embodiment of love and dedication. Should the celestial thief who abducted his guru Brihaspati‘s wife out of lust, be worshipped for marital felicity? Well, these questions should muddle all those zealots who kept fast for their husbands but worshipped the celestial seducer. I am beyond any confusion as a self-proclaimed agnostic, a sceptic. Did I talk in an oxymoron? That’s how I am.
The Moon is sheer beauty for me unless and until I delve into mythology. As I said, he is my friend, philosopher and guide, lest I have all the rights reserved for talking profanely about him.
My younger daughter, Anindhya, clicked these beautiful pictures of the moon, sometimes back. She’s also a Selenophile like me. These pictures are worth a flaunt. Isn’t it?
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Again, splendidly penned! 🙂 Well, your sceptism is not baseless dear Sangeeta ji! I absolutely agree with your remarks! 🙂
Earlier, even I did not digest the weird story and theory behind the widely celebrated tradition of only women observing the KC fast, not the men! But my curiosity and annoyance helped me find the answers!
As I opposed the society and inquisitively questioned all in my family, my aversion one day got pacified by my mother, almost two decades back! She well understood my exasperation due to the gender-biasedness of the festival… and the answer that I got from her was quite logical and settling.
The ritual of praising/worshipping one’s husband came into existence because ‘man’ was the only breadwinner, and the wife used to be entirely dependent on him for all her needs and survival. Hence, to convey gratitude and reverence to the sole earner, the man-dominated society started this tradition of worshipping the Husband – the Protector and Provider of woman’s needs and desires. Hence, the Hindi saying – “Pati Parmeshwar hai!”. No matter how much disconcerting may it seem, but the truth is that Husband (after Father) was of utmost importance (equalizing God) to the woman of that old era! Strangely, the tradition still continues to this date!
However, in today’s modern time, since both husband and wife work for a living, I rightly feel the need to upgrade the version of this age-old tradition ( for ex. v2020+… hehe). Both should observe Karvachauth fast with devotion, and pray for each other’s long and healthy life. Both should adorn themselves in their best attire, not for the society, not to impress each other but rather as an expression of their passionate love for each other!
Coming to Moon… this beautiful celestial body had been worshipped since time immemorial because of its captivating powers. Scientifically, the Moon totally impacts our emotions, feelings, intentions. It can easily calm down and stabilize our mind.
In general, whatever wish/intention (Sankalpa kriya) one sets can surely come to fruition. This happens via one’s own will-power and Karma, but this power of will is ignited by focusing (Dhyana kriya) upon the divine Moon and using its magnetic vibrations to launch our desires into the Universe. Thus, the women used to set the intention of their husbands’ long life! Also, that’s why full moon nights are extremely special for the Yogi cult.
Along with the Moon, even ‘Gauri-Shankar’ are also worshipped as an epitome of pure love, by both husband and wife on the KC day, to strengthen their marital bond. 🙂
The science behind fasting/staying empty-stomach is again very simple (not only for this festival but for all fasting occasions) – the process of digestion takes away more that 50% percent of body’s energy. When there is no food in our system, our life-force (Prana urja) is not disturbed by the digestion process, and it smoothly flows upwards towards our higher chakras (energy centers).
Hence, consequently this life-force becomes fully available to our cognitive abilities, at conscious and subconscious levels. Therefore, wishes emerging out of such dedicated mind create only pure and high vibrations, which are automatically sent out in the Universe to be fulfilled, and they also reach to all those beings (physical/meta-physical forms/higher powers) whom they are meant for!
Hope you don’t mind my long comment! Hehe… I find keen interest in Mythology-Science-Cosmos-Spirituality topics and this one was too interesting to resist, hence I went on sharing all that I hold in my knowledge! Cheers & blessings! 🙂
– Joy